A panel addresses the needs of the immigrant community. (credit: Michelle Durham)

By Michelle Durham

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A local organization committed to providing HIV care, social services and other outreach efforts to Philadelphia’s culturally diverse community sponsored a seminar focusing on the plight of immigrants and what can sometimes be their complicated access to health care.

The seminar drew dozens of people from the Philadelphia area immigrant population and others who serve them. Director of education at Philadelphia Fight Juliet Fink Yates says this event is necessary.

“There has been a huge uptick in deportations of immigrants and that really impacts people living here and getting access to healthcare and getting access to legal services and basic human dignity,” Yates says immigrants are afraid and by the time some of these folks seek treatment they need to be hospitalized.

She says there is help available.

“Philadelphia FIGHT, you can reach out to Juntos, The Immigration Law Project, The Welcoming Center. There’s a number of a great organizations out there.”

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